Variable-speed drive



v 19 F; ,o. (-ZHORLTQN 1,746,029

VARIABLE SPEED DRIVE Filed Jab. 22, 1929 Patented 4, 1930 VARIABLE-.SIPVEEDV-DRIVE 5 Application filed. January 22,

The invention is for a variable-speed drive suitable for mechanical group driving, such as the driving of the sections of a papermaking machine. 1 In such-like machines the control or reduction of speeds of the individual sections independently of others of a group is of practical importance.

In the epicyclic gear illustrated a minor for controlling the gear ratio,'is transmitted from and through a belt-pair, one'elem'ent of which is attached to the driving shaft, and the other to a counter shaft in gear connection with the ratio-controlling parts of the epicyclic. V

Reduction or change of speed is determined by the limiting conditions of the moving belt-pair, tion is primarily to enable reduction of speed of a particular section of a group of driving units to be attained below that possible with the use of a belt-pair alone.

For this purpose, I arrange for the driving element of the epicyclic gear described to be capable of non-movement in relation to the driving shaft in manner and With the result to be stated, instead of allowing said driving element to be constantly rotating with the 1 0 driving shaft as in the case herein named. V I may also provide means for reversing motions when required, and while saiddriv- 'ing element is stationary, by gearing to be described at the countershaft provided in two parts for the purpose.

i 7 With reference to the accompanying drawings, Fig. 1 shows a known form of belt-pair of the patent suitable for thegear herein mentioned, and- 40 which maybe substituted for that employed in Fig. 2, which latter figure is a sectional elevation of a variable-speed drive arranged to one form of my invention. Fig. tail relative to said Fig. 2.' v I Fig. 4 is an end section of a .part of Fig. 5, the latter figure showing on an enlarged scale 'a-detail in Fig. 2. 7 I

a. is the main driving shaft coupled at b. to a shaft from a source of power.

0. is a gear wheelor driving element of the element forms part portion only of the applied power and solely and the object of the present inven- 3is ade-v epicyclic'gear when the same is in normal": i

f The major portion of the power at such use.

:1929, Serial No.334,32 7,"a1id in Great Britain January 5,- 1929.

times passes. through 0., gearing. pinionsv d.

revolublymounted in a gearbox e. (the latter. revolubly mounted about shaft a.) to the; driven element'h, on shaft a., which latter,

being rigidly connected to an extension of of a sleeve la. capable of sleeve m. by means of'a clutch shown at 'n..

A worm 0. rigidly forming part of on. is

shown engaging a wheelr; on-the in-driving shaft ,8. ofythe'mechanismor sectionbein'g driven.,' I A minor portion of the applied power is normally-transmitted through a belt-pair,

- such asshown in said Fig.2 ormay be as shown in Fig. l'using the known form of .7

expanding pulleys. I g a .In Fig.2 aforesaid, a conepulley'orone element of'the belt-pair, is indicated at-u.-

'attachedsto shaft (1. and connected bybelt'}. l

tothe second cone pulley the latter at-' tached to a counter shaft :0. This counter shaftmay be'continuous from endto end, but in the present example it is divided into twoparts for thepurpose ofillustrating the reverse-motion...mechanism according to my invention, when said motion is desirable.

The second part ofthe .countershaft is shown-ate. It is connected bychain andv chain wheels, shown at 1. and 2.-respectivee ly, for controllingthe movementof thebox e.

of theepicyclic gear, as willbe obvious. In

3 a vertical shaft t and bevel gearing Fig.

5 is shown asa substitute for thechain gear ofFig.2. v

According to. my present inventi0n,'-the shaft a. has providedupon it a sleeve 6. ca-

pable of longitudinal movement 'alongsaid shaft. (See Figs. 4 and 5 more particularly)"; The drivingelement 0. is in connection with said' sleeve'i6. by means such as splines or a feather, such as shown at 7 in Fig.5 or said sleeve is thus in s'lidable connection with. element '0. When the sleeve 6. is moved towards the leftlin the'view named, it is capable of interlocking with shaft a. or of en T gaging at its ends with orbetween projec tions 8 on said shaft a. (Fig 5), at which period, shaft a. drives c. through the connections with 6. When the latter member is moved towards the right in the diagram, until disengagement from the projections 8 occurs, driving connection between 0. and shaft a. ceases, and the member 6. is assumed to engage, at its opposite end, a fixed part or ring 9 in connection: with the frame of the epicy- I clic thus preventing rotation ofthe element; 0. Under the last-named conditions the drive 10 is solely through the belt-pair, the. .cou11ter-,

the latter is disengaged from said shaft, for the purpose and as herein set forth. In testimony whereof I have aflixed my signature. 7

FRANK OSCAR LEVI CHORLTON.

shaft and the chain and'wlieel mechanism shown, assuming the countershaftpartswr and 2. to be connected. Such slow motion,

so introduced; in thezcaseiof a :paper-mak- 15 ing machine, is useful when examination or replacement of felts and wires 'is required. I For-freeing a -blockage of paperinsaid ma chine, or like-:reason, it is-convenientto be ableto reverse the motion of :the machine, zd' and inzthe present instance, I employ meansfor this purpose inthe following manner.

The shaft portion w. carries "a bevel wheel 10 keyedithereon, while the shaft portion 2.

has another :bevel wheelll freely mounted =-on: lth'e same." Said portion as also carries a dog-clutch or-the like 12 the latter. capable of:1ongitudina1movement along a. but in feather or sliding key connection therewith.

The bevels 10 and'll are in gear connection through a beveliwheel 13 revolubly mounted on xthe frameof the 'epicyclic arrangement 1 shown.

Clutch 12 is capable of beingslidalong'z.

be in: the 1 non-operative condition, I or the sleeve 6 would be disengaged from the shaft a.

'and stationary. When the-clutchlQgears" posi'-- with wheel lOthGIIIOtlOII is in one-direction,

and when it engages wheel 11 the motion'is. in the reverse direction as will bewobvious." In either case, the slow motion" arrangement "with'the use' of sleeve 6 maybe utilized as required.

Iclaim In a variable-speed drive provided with" a speed-varyingbelt pair driven from the.

driving shaft', a sleeve on saididriving shaft and movable along. the same, a positive driving element of saiddrive with which'said sleeve is inslidable connection, and through ewhich'element the major portion of the power is transmitted,said element loosely mounted on. sai'dshaft, projections on saidsleeve and projections 0111 the. driving shaft for the-i former-to engage with .the latterpanda: sta

tionaryzelement engaged by said sleeve when 

